Archibald Knox Pewter Clock Art Nouveau Design | Silver Colour 13.5cm H | Made in England | AK36

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Archibald Knox's influence on buildings in the capital" (PDF). Isle of Man Examiner. 18 June 2019. pp.14–15. Knox was part of a 'Manx renaissance' of culture and history led by antiquarians. They rediscovered, reconstructed and reinterpreted history and traditions to bolster Manx cultural distinctiveness and devolved political status in the face of economic and social influences from the British Empire and the thousands of visitors to the Island's booming tourism industry. [30] [8] [31] [ unreliable source?] This was part of a wider Celtic Revival echoed in smaller nations across Europe asserting their identities. Anscombe, Isabelle (1988). "An Outpost of the Arts and Crafts Movement". The Journal of Decorative and Propaganda Arts. 8: 80–87. doi: 10.2307/1503971. JSTOR 1503971– via JSTOR.

This is perhaps what Knox is best known for and there are several important points to consider as a potential collector. Knox only designed, never made, silver for Liberty & Co and, with a very few exceptions, none of his pieces, or designs, are signed by him. So almost everything that is deemed Knox is, to varying degrees of certainty, attributions. To add to this, Knox’s designs were adapted by Liberty, so you have many pieces which may have Knox motifs, but where the entirety of the piece is not by Knox. In general, pieces which are clearly and wholly by Knox are more expensive, and within that category, those that are most radical and modernist are the most expensive. In 1975 the V&A Museum staged an exhibition of Liberty's designs. This started a slow increase in awareness of Knox and his work. [39] So when one thinks of collecting Archibald Knox you may want to start by thinking what of his many design or artistic areas you wish to focus on, which in turn may be dictated by budget. Knox was born on the Isle of Man to Scottish parents, and his Celtic heritage exerted a powerful influence on the young designer. Not only did he introduce Celtic motifs into his designs, but he also became a published scholar of Manx Celtic crosses and standing stones and collected Manx artefacts.There are no hallmarks on pewter, although some pewter items have a touch mark, applied by a punch and which usually include the names or initials of the maker. Touch marks have no particular value apart from interest and a guide to the maker. A touch mark bears no relation to the quality of the alloy, and does not carry the same authority as the hallmarks used on gold and silver. a b "Buildings at risk: Why we must recognise the work of Archibald Knox". www.iomtoday.co.im. 7 July 2019. Archived from the original on 28 April 2021 . Retrieved 22 April 2021. In 1897 Knox began working for the Silver Studio, who were designing for Liberty. [22] In 1899 he left with Collister for the Kingston School of Art. [21] Knox's hundreds of designs for Liberty made his style widely known, [6] though not his name, as Liberty kept their designers anonymous. Most of his work for Liberty was for the Tudric (pewter) and Cymric (precious metals) ranges. [ citation needed] The gravestone of Liberty founder, Arthur Lasenby Liberty, was designed by Knox. [7] a b "Archibald Knox". Mannin. 7: 381 et seq. May 1916. Archived from the original on 7 October 2012 – via Isle of Man.

Knox had an innovative method of teaching art: he collected a set of three thousand glass slides, of examples of design work, to show his students. While showing these he encouraged the students to consider the design principles involved in each, and whether the design met the functional requirements. [27] Mr. Knox's system of teaching was essentially his own. Instead of insisting on the English method of art education by making laborious copies of scraps of museum specimens of 'styles' he made at his own expense three thousand lantern slides, illustrating works of art from prehistoric times down to the gipsy caravans of to-day, showing how Art was produced by the workman in the joy of using his chisel or hammer. To you of MANNIN it will be interesting to know that he gave lectures on your grey thatched homes, your churches, and your crosses, making us love them as if they were our own." [28] From 1900 Archibald Knox lived for some years on Isle of Man but returned to London, where he taught at various art colleges. In 1911 Archibald Knox joined some of his former students in founding Knox Guild of Craft and Designs, which was in existence until 1939. In 1912 Archibald Knox spent a year in the US and designed carpets for Bromley & Co. In 1913 Archibald Knox returned to the Isle of Man, where he spent most of his time painting. Arthur Lasenby Liberty's grave at St John the Baptist Churchyard, The Lee – Archibald Knox". www.archibaldknoxforum.com . Retrieved 18 October 2023.

Chronology: Archibald Knox 1864-1933". Archived from the original on 25 February 2016 . Retrieved 14 April 2016. The other area to be careful of is enamels – this is of course a wider issue than for Knox. Beware “soft” (otherwise called cold) enamel restoration or outright augmentation. There is nothing wrong with restoration (augmentation is another matter) with soft enamels, but you should know what you are buying. A good UV torch will normally reveal all. Also look out for enamel onto pewter. You cannot enamel directly onto pewter, it has too low a melting point, so Liberty inserted enamelled copper roundels.

Cadran Cottage, Ballanard Road in Douglas, remodelled c.1910 with design by Knox, was listed as a Registered Building of the Isle of Man in 1996. [40] 'Cadran' means quadrant. These designs spanned across multiple mediums, from metalware to terracotta, jewellery to graphic design, all of which were then manufactured by specialist factories. None of the pieces are signed by Knox, as Liberty & Co. had a strict policy of anonymity for their designers. Knox’s best-known designs were those he produced for their Cymric (precious metal) and Tudric (pewter) ranges. The appeal of pewter comes mainly from its good proportions and functional design. Items from the 17th and 18th centuries are obviously much rarer than those of the 19th century, which form the basis of most collections, and when collecting pewter became popular. The century culminated in the formation of The Society of Pewter Collectors in 1918, which is still operating today, under the name of the Pewter Society. Knox has been described as modest and monk-like: "almost Cistercian in his silence". [38] He has also been described as gruff and stubborn. However, he did have close friendships, such as with Canon Quine [15] and A. J. Collister. He was an active member of various societies such as the Isle of Man Antiquarian Society and the Freemasons. He was a sidesman at his local high Anglican Church, St Matthew's. [26] He also wrote a number of articles in journals to communicate his ideas. League of St Germain". A new history of the Isle of Man: The Modern Period 1830-1999. Richard Chiverrell, Geoff, Dr Thomas, Seán Duffy, Harold Mytum, John Belchem. Liverpool: Liverpool University Press. 2015. ISBN 978-0-85323-577-4. OCLC 46945631. {{ cite book}}: CS1 maint: others ( link)His design talent covered a wide range of objects, ornamental and utilitarian, and included silverware and pewterware, jewellery, inkwells, boxes, gravestones, watercolours, graphic designs, [8] calligraphy, [8] a house design, fonts and even bank cheques. [9] In addition, Archibald Knox made the extremely successful "Cymric" line in silver objects and "Tudor" in pewter for Liberty & Co. Archibald Knox's designs centred on such Celtic motifs as interlaced patterns, crosses, and knots. Archibald Knox (1864-1933) was one of the leading designers of the Arts & Crafts Movement. He is perhaps best remembered for the designs he produced for the iconic London department store Liberty & Co., including those made for their popular Tudric pewter range, which remain sought-after at auction today. Pewter is a malleable alloy, composed largely of tin with antimony, bismuth, copper and silver. Relatively cheap, it was known as ‘poor man’s silver’, and was very popular at the turn of the century amongst those looking for affordable yet modern pieces for their homes. Liberty’s Tudric range was respected as good quality pewter, with a higher than average proportion of silver. It can be found either polished or left with a dull matte patina.